Machine for molding candles



,1 c. G. SCHMITT MACHINE FOR MOLDING CANDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 15, 1928 I Ig ENTOR.

#2; ATTORNEY.

Oct. 13, 1936. cl G. SCHMITT v MACHINE FOR MOLDING CANDLES Original Filedv Nov. 15, 1928 2 Sheets$heet 2 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR MOLDING CANDLES Charles G. Schmitt, Phillipsburg, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Plastic Research and Engineering ork Corporation, a corporation of New Application November 15, 1928, Serial No. 319,572 Renewed February 27, 1935 10 Claims. (Cl. 18-27) My invention relates tocandle molding machines and particularly to machines for molding candles having tapered bases, commonly known as self-fitting-in candles.

The present method of molding such candles is to mold the candles with the base upward, the candles being removed from the molds by means of pistons. This method necessitates the use of loose or separate base pieces which adhere to the candles when ejected from the molds and must be removed by hand, and replaced in the molds by hand thus tending to become mixed, bent, or lost.

My present invention is designed to avoid these disadvantages by eliminating the need for detachable base pieces. One object of my invention is to simplify quantity production of candles of type.

Another object of my invention is to manufacture tapered base candles complete with wickin a single operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide eiiicient and easily controlled means for alternate heating and chilling of the molds.

Otherobjects of my invention relate to the specific construction of my improved molding machine as disclosed in the detailed description which follows, and in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my improved molding machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View, partly broken away to show the lower portion of the mold;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of Fig. 2 on the line 3-3 showing the grooved slope of the upper mold section for facilitating removal of surplus wax, and the eccentric for laterally displacing the upper mold section during upward movement;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the center portion of Fig. 2 showing the lips of the base mold sections extending over the corrugated wax inlet openings;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a single mold, partly broken away, showing the relationship of the mold, the ejecting piston, and the base mold lifting mechanism; 7

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail on the line 66 of Fig. 5, of the adjustable regulator controlling flow of liquidin the base mold lifting mechanism;

Figs. '7 and 8 are elevations showing modifications of the base mold lifting mechanism.

Considering Figs. 1 and 5, a series of candle molds 10 are secured in spaced relation between a horizontal plate II and trough shaped casings l2 secured to the plate H by any suitable means l3. Each individual mold I 0 has a positioning shoulder Illa, and is drawn tightly in position between the plate II and the bottom plate of casing l2 by a lock nut lflb, the packing l 0.0 rendering the juncture with the bottom plate fluid tight. The plate II is supported and held in position by an angle-bar framework M, the casings and plate cooperating to form hollow box-like chambers for permitting heating fluid and chilling fluid to alternately contact with the candle molds.

A tapered piston l5 positioned within each candle mold l0, forms the bottom of the mold and is utilized to hold the lower end of the wick in position, and to eject the molded candles. Each piston I5 has a piston rod l6 operatively secured to a movable platform H, a hydraulic lift l8 of the type disclosed in my copending application Ser. Number 258,028 February 29, 1928 being suitably controlled by the operator to furnish an easy and gradual ejecting means for the completed candles.

Both the piston l5 and the piston rod l6 are drilled as best shown in Fig. 5, to provide a passage IQ for the wick 20; the wick 20 is unwound from a drum (not shown) rotatably journaled beneath the floor upon which the molding machine stands.

The piston rod I6 is removably screwthreaded into a retaining boss 2|, secured to the platform H, in any suitable way, to provide for an adjustment of the piston l5 within the body mold for obtaining candles of diiierent heights. The piston I5 has a threaded extension 22 entering a threaded bore 23 in the piston rod I6 to provide a supplemental adjustment for the same purpose.

The base mold is formed by two wing sections 24, 25 hinged to standards 26, which are preferably integral with upper horizontal plate H, by means of bar hinges 27 of the type described in my co-pending application.

The wing section lifting mechanism includes rods 28 cooperating with eccentric lifting nipples 29 secured to the sections 24, 25 to move each section about its hinge 2'! on upward movement of the platform l1, thus permitting ejection of the completed candles by the upwardly moving pistons l5. Each nipple 29 may have a rib 29a cooperating with grooves provided in the split upper section of rod 28, to prevent lateral displacement. Each rod 28 is slidably positioned in a cylindrical housing 30 pivotally mounted on platform I1, and has an extension piston element 3| secured thereto by a rod 32, and a groove 33. The housing 30 has a by-pass duct 34 communiopening in the housing, into engagement with the;

groove 33 for retaining the rod 29 in itsupper position; toe 38 of the lever 36- engages a stationary stop 39 mounted on the framework l4. to trip the lever and move the pin 31, thus ,per I mitting upward movement of-the housing 30-, and therefore of the piston I5, with respect to the rod 28. The liquid in the housing flows upwardly, during such upward movement of the housing,

and downwardly, on downward movement of the housing, lever 36 and pin 31 again lockingthe. rod 28 in position at the end of. such downward movement. The wing sections mayinterlock at the end's thereof, if desired. c Each section 24, 25 has an opening 40 adjacent the inner edges thereof and locatedover each candle mold ill, the openings forming circular inlets foradmission ofwax to the molds; lips 4|, 42 integral with or' suitably secured tothe wings 24, 25, traverse the wax inlets 49 and have small circular recesses cooperating to form openings 43, which serve as positioning means -;for' the upper end of thecandle wicks.

I, The openings 40 have corrugations 44 for pro- 'viding'the usual corrugated bases of this type of candle; however, the openings 40 'may if desired, be made circular whenever a plain tapered base is preferred.

The lips 4|, 42 and sides of the sections form troughs for receiving the poured wax,-'the edges "'45 (note'Fig. 3) sloping down" to form a con'- venient means for removing the surplus wax.

Each section 24, 25 is hollow and isprovided "with flexible conduits 46 attached to lifting nipples 29, these conduits receiving heating or chill- 7 "ing fluid froxna fluid supply conduit 41, which conduit also supplies the casings l2 through valve controlled inlet pipes. I v

A steam inlet pipe 48, valve controlled, permits the flow of heating fluid around the molds before *the wax is poured in, and water inlet pipe 49,

valve controlled, affords means for passing chillingfluid about the molds and the poured'candles therein. The casings and sections have valve "controlled drain pipes, (not shown) onthe 'other side, and are sloped so as to freely drainfeach casing and section also has the usualplug-closed openings (not shown) for permitting periodic cleaning.

Two modified forms of mechanism for permitting ejection of the candles are shown in Figs. '7 and 8. In Fig. 7, the housing 30 is replaced by a rod 50 having a pin 5| engaging slots 52 in levers 53 rotatably mounted on eccentrics 29, the rib'29a being omitted, if desired. In Fig. 8, the rod 59 has cam surfaces 54 engaging lifting blocks 55, the springs 56 permitting upward movemerit of rod 59 when the wing sections are displaced out of the path of the upwardly moving candles, and reseating the wing sections as the rod 59 descends.

, The operation of my improvedmachine is as follows: The pistons l5 being in the raised position after the removal of one group of completed'candles, the group of candles is positioned in the racks secured above themolds, a'siscommen-practice in molding this type of candle.

The operator now opens his hydraulic control valve, and the wing sections and pistons lower into the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the upper ends of wicks 20 depending from the completed candles and being positioned within openings 43 between-the lips 4i and 42; as the piston l 5 descends the wicks Zilslowly unroll from the wick drums and are properly maintained in vertical position within the mold.

Steam is now admitted through pipe 48 and conduit fl andexhausts through the outlet pipe.

The heating fluid passes around the molds l0 and into the wing'sections to heat the base 'molds andalso the troughs formed in the tops of the wing sections; After the molds have been heated to theproper temperature, wax or other 1 suitable candle material is poured into the troughs ing fluid around the candle and basemolds.

After the valve in pipe 49 is shutoff, the outlet pipe is kept open for a limited time in order to drain the hollow chambers; the operator then turns his hydraulic control valve and causes the 'simultaneous'upward swinging of the wing'sec tions 'and the ejectionof the completed candles; the candles are discharged from the molds ,by the pistons sothat they clear both'wing sec ions,

the'latter recedingsimultaneouslyin order to permit an unobstructed upward movement of the candles, I r

As the wing sections are turned, the trip lever 36 trips, and permits the piston l5 to furnish the ejecting movement. Thus a perfect product is secured, all scraping by abrasions or contact with the base mold being prevented,the candles being polished and trimmed automatically as they "are forced upwardly so as'to leave the ma chine in a finished and perfect condition ready for packing. 4 1

Although I have described my invention. in connection with the manufacture of candles having tapered bases, I do not wish to be limited 'to such use, as my invention is capable of molding materials other than wax.

I claiin as my inventionzi 1. In a molding machine, upper and lower plates, a plurality of body molds therebetween, movable bottoms in each body mold each havg a mold recess, base mold frames hingedly means ,operatively connected to the frames. for

"si'vv'inging the frames to move the base mold sections and permit free. ejection .of a molded article, and means for moving, the bottoms to eject molded articles from the body molds.

' 2. In a molding machine, upper and lower plates, a. plurality of substantially cylindrical body molds therebetween, movable bottoms in "each body mold each having .a mold recess, base mold frames hingedly mounted on the upper mounted on the upper plates, base mold sections 60 in said frames cooperating with said body molds,

mit free ejection of a molded article, and means for moving the bottoms to eject molded articles from the body molds.

3. In a molding machine, upper and lower plates, a plurality of body molds therebetween, movable bottoms in each body mold each having a mold recess, base mold frames hingedly mounted on the upper plates, base mold sections in said frames cooperating with said body molds, means for positioning wicking in the body molds, means operatively connected to the frames for swinging the frames to move the base mold sections and permit free ejection of a molded article, and means for moving the bottoms to eject molded articles from the body molds.

4. In a molding machine, upper and lower plates, a plurality of substantially cylindrical body molds therebetween, movable bottoms in each body mold each having a mold recess, base mold frames hingedly mounted on the upper plates, tapered base mold sections in said frames cooperating with said body molds, means for positioning wicking in the body molds, means operatively connected to the frames for swinging the frames to move the base mold sections and permit free ejection of a molded article, and means for moving the bottoms to eject molded articles from the body molds.

5. In a molding machine, a body mold, a movable bottom therein having a mold recess, a movable base mold adjacent the body mold top, and operating mechanism engaging the movable bottom and the movable base mold for simultaneously moving the bottom to eject a molded article and for moving the base mold out of the path of the ejected article at a speed greater than the speed of ejection of the molded article.

6. In a molding machine, a body mold, a movable bottom therein having a mold recess, a sectional base mold adjacent the body mold top, and operating mechanism engaging the movable bottom and the movable base mold for simultaneously moving the bottom to eject a molded article and for moving the base mold sections out of the path of the ejected article at a speed greater than the speed of ejection of the molded article.

'7. In a molding machine, a body mold, a movable bottom therein having a mold recess, a movable base mold adjacent the body mold top, and operating mechanism engaging the movable bottom and the movable base mold for simultaneously moving the bottom to eject a molded article and for moving the base mold out of the path of the ejected article, said operating mechanism including means for increasing the speed of movement of the base mold in relation to the speed of movement of the ejected article.

8. In a molding machine, a body mold, a movable bottom therein having a mold recess, a sectional base mold adjacent the body mold top, and operating mechanism engaging the movable bottom and the movable base mold for simultaneously moving the bottom to eject a molded article and for moving the base mold sections out of the path of the ejected article, said operating mechanism including means for increasing the speed of movement of the base mold sections in relation to the speed of movement of the ejected article.

9. In a molding machine, a section containing a body mold, a base mold section having split portions mounted adjacent said first section and having a base mold communicating with the body mold, means comprising a movable bottom having a mold recess for ejecting a molded article from the body mold, and means for moving the split base mold portions apart in advance of the ejecting movement of the molded article to permit free ejection of the molded article.

10. In a molding machine, a section containing a body mold, a base mold section having split portions hingedly mounted adjacent said first section and having a base mold communicating with the body mold, means comprising a movable bottom having a mold recess for ejecting a molded article from the body mold, and means for swinging the split portions apart in advance of the ejecting movement of the molded articles to permit free ejection of the molded article.

CHARLES G. SCHMITT. 

